


Service Industry Partnership

by Ononymous



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Post-Undertale Pacifist Route
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-29
Updated: 2018-06-29
Packaged: 2019-05-30 11:11:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15095501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ononymous/pseuds/Ononymous
Summary: An early evening in the lives of two dispensers of convenient food, hoping to build a relationship on slightly firmer foundations.





	Service Industry Partnership

"I'm home!"

"Hey, buddy."

The lanky blue rabbit bounded into the living room with a smile in his soul to match the one on his face. He took a moment to regard the cat splayed out on the sofa, legs dangling over one arm rest, then sat down next to him. As the cat courteously extinguished his cigarette, the rabbit lifted a paw to rub it in his hands.

"Oof, that was a long walk. Worth it though, the city looked great today."

The cat's small smile did not have a soul-doppleganger. "The city ever not look great through those peepers of yours?"

He thought for a moment. "Well, no! Everybody put so much hard work into building it, I think that's charming."

"Sure ya do." He stretched, then winced a little and massaged his shoulder. Long blue ears drooped a little at this

"Tough day?"

"Eh, I've had worse. Was on mascot duty after lunch."

The rabbit's beady nose twitched sympathetically. "Oh you poor thing. That life-sized replica looks really heavy!"

"It is. But you know my boss. Scared people'll forget him if he's not in their face. Kinda hope he's right."

A not-unwelcome scratching began under the brown chin. Automatically the cat raised his head to allow the rabbit's red-clad legs to move into position to act as a pillow. "That's mean. You don't really hope that, do you?"

The small smile grew a little. "...okay, I don't. For you."

"That's the spirit! Now, should we have dinner right now, or will we leave it?"

Stubby triangular ears swivelled one way, then the other. "Not feelin' particularly famished just yet. Mind if we just veg out a little more?"

"Sure!"

"Thanks, buddy. So, how was your day?"

"Oh, it was great!" Of course it was. "I set up my stall out by the new Core annex, that's why it took so long for me to get home, but I just had a good feeling about it. And it paid off! Turned out Miss Toriel was leading a field trip there, and she let the kids get nice cream when the tour was over!"

"Cool. Sounds like business was booming."

"Even better, I saw one of them looking at the wrapper and chuckling. I think they liked my joke!"

"Which one? 'Your smile makes everyone around you happy' or 'I can't believe anyone would think a bad thought about you'?"

"It was 'Your little nose and twitchy ears are extra adorable', actually." He booped the offending nose and chuckled.

"...okay yeah, that's a good one." An alien expression of contentment complimented the feline face.

"Hey, anything good on TV?"

"Nah, just my boss' show. Reruns."

"Oh, is it the one where he juggles three glamburgers, an explosive microphone and a moldsmal? That was really impressive! Can we watch it?"

A more familiar expression replaced the contentment. "Rather not, to be honest. I get enough of him at work."

"Okay! This is just as nice anyway." He felt the head fidget a little in his lap, as though to dissent. "Aw, come on, we've talked about this. You deserve nice things too."

The head looked away. "I know. But there's knowing something and there's _knowing_ something, you know? Still feels like I've wasted my life."

As punishment, another boop landed on his nose. "I don't think so, silly billy. Not this part, anyway."

"...no, not this part."

They sat in silence for a while, looking out the window at the steadily darkening sky. The only movement was the occasional twitch of an ear or tail. One was a little uncertain but happy to enjoy it, the other absolutely sure of himself about where this was going.

"Hey," he adjusted his yellow shirt slightly, "want me to put on dinner now?"

The cat fidgeted a little. "Nah. Hey, where are ya setting up stall tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow? Hmm, let's see. Well, the park's pretty reliable on Saturdays, but then I kinda feel bad that the miners don't get a chance to have a nice cream with their lunch. I might work from my old stall in the Underground."

"Really? Damn, I thought you looked a little weary today. You'll probably be too tired to smile when you get home."

His ears stood to attention, clearly worried. "Gee, I hope not! We don't need two grumps in here."

"Eh, I can grump enough for both of us."

The blue face was a little crestfallen for the first time. "I think your 'service face' is cute. You should do it more."

"All service'd out, sorry. If I put that bot-mandated grin on a second longer today I'll cramp up."

The rabbit chuckled again. "That's just because you don't do it regularly. That Royal Guard Captain smiles all the time and she doesn't get cramps."

"Eh, that grin looks more like a prelude to being her dinner half the time. Grump it is."

"Come on, silly, you're smiling right now."

"I am, and... 'snot so bad, really."

The ever-deepening blue of the sky was ignored this time, each one choosing to examine the other's face. Despite his admission, the cat's smile gradually faded to his standard resting kit face. It had been enough for his makeshift pillow. It took time to coax it out of him, but it was worth it.

"Okay, now I'm feeling really peckish," said the rabbit, "I'm gonna make something to eat."

Something flashed in the cat's eyes. "Hang on a minute."

"Are you okay? What's- Oh! Was that your phone?"

The vibration rang throughout the whole sofa, and sure enough the pink nose was concealed by a phone. But only for a moment.

"Eh, it's nothing. Sure, let's go to the kitchen and see what's there."

"Great!"

They got to their feet, brown hands attempting to reach the ceiling in another stretch, and headed into the kitchen.

"Huh? What's this?"

If the rabbit had fulfilled his threat to cook dinner, it might have ended up wasteful. A large silver platter and matching cover rested on the normally empty table. Two sets of immaculately clean plates and cutlery were positioned, ready to receive a meal. The display was completed by a candelabra next to the platter. It would have been truly impressive, had the candles supposed to be placed in it lay next to it, still in their wrapper.

"That," said the cat, zipping ahead to formally present the scene, "is dinner. Uh, I ran out of time when I saw you on the street. Sorry."

There was surprise in the twitching ears, but it was pleasant surprise. "Really?"

"Yup. I just thought, well... You're always makin' dinner and stuff, keeping me away from junk food, an' I know I'm kind of a duffer who needs led around, so I got to figuring, why not try an' take the initiative for once?"

"But I thought you said you were a terrible cook if it wasn't burgers."

"Oh god yes, you shoulda seen my first attempt at roasting the chicken. So I hired a skeleton to cook it for me. That text was his brother deliverin' it. My only conditions were no burgers an' no ice cream. No talkin' shop. And now..." he lifted the cover, revealing a serving bowl plates piled high with spaghetti and accompanying tongs, while at the same time grinning with enough force to break glass. "'Have a fabulous meal, sir!'"

The prospective diner's reaction surprised him. Blue arms were wrapped around him in a grateful embrace.

"Woah, buddy, you okay?"

Two noses suddenly nuzzling together answered his question. "You're so thoughtful! I was kind of worried that you were doomed to be a sadsack forever, but you've thrown that aside! I knew it would work out!"

"Did you?" teased the cat. "Could it be you... had some doubts about us?"

He looked away, slightly embarrassed. "N-no! Everything works out in the end."

"Suuuuure, buddy. I'll drill some cynicism into ya yet." He reciprocated the nuzzling in earnest now, both of them laughing softly.

"Well, maybe you can pierce my optimism after this meal." His blue eyebrows arched mischievously. "It looks delicious."

"Sure does. I bet we'll enjoy every last mouthful of this, or my name's not-"

A loud and slightly tacky theme song blared from the living room, drowning out the end of his declaration.

"Oops, stood on the remote. What's it doing in here anyway?"

"Sorry buddy, I turned the volume up so I could listen to the news while I prepped the table."

"Oh, okay. Well," he fingered a tuft of fur peeking from his boyfriend's shirt, "I'm gonna hold you to enjoying this meal, or _my_ name's not-"

A sudden orchestra smothered his words.

"Oops, work phone." He turned it off. "That can wait until latter."

A final pre-meal nuzzle could not wait. The dour and the delightable locked in a tender embrace for a long time. It was enough to overcome the future disappointment about the meal.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think, and thanks for reading!


End file.
